30 Things You Must Add to Your Bucket List

Get Your Kicks Before Kicking the Bucket

Everyone has a list of things they want to accomplish before their final days. But you should go all out here--don't stop at the typical "learn how to ride a motorcycle" or "visit all 50 states." Push it to the limit! Carve out your legacy by creating a list of truly unique ideas that make you proud before you kick the bucket.

1. Make Up a Holiday and Make it Official

When you just love, love, love something and it doesn't get the proper recognition it deserves, turn it into a holiday! For example, if you are just obsessed with being a twin and want the world to celebrate your twinlihood--make it official by registering the event as a holiday. You can even call it Twinsday! All you have to do is fill out a simple form!

2. Chill in an Ice Hotel

This is the ultimate way to be so cool. It seems like staying in a beautiful hotel made entirely of ice comes straight out of a fairytale (please reference Frozen), but these wonderful ice-made hotels actually exist! In fact, Iceland's Icehotel is a famous spot for world travelers to spend the night.

3. Get Your Feet Off the Ground by Base-Jumping

Skydiving is so yesterday. Base-jumping, on the other hand, doesn't require a plane trip for the magic to happen. There are so many scenic locations to take the plunge at, too, like Yosemite National Park, Table Mountain in Africa, or even the Eiffel Tower. Just don't forget to get your scream on the whole way down; it makes it even more fun!

4. Expand Your (International) Family

We all know we're immigrants from somewhere, but have you ever taken the time to look up and meet this incredibly extended family? Probably not. Why not look 'em up and plan a reunion? Who knows, maybe you'll grow closer than you think. Not to mention that you'll always have a place to stay in your true hometown (or country)!

5. Assist an Animal Trainer for a Day

You know how dolphins do flips at the aquarium show or how falcons follow every single word their trainer says? Well, you can assist their trainer for the day! The trainer will give you a few commands, then you become the ultimate puppet master! Train sea lions to blow a kiss, get dolphins to jump through hoops, or get falcons to retrieve small items across the room. It's truly magical. There are many locations across the U.S. that offer this unique opportunity.

7. Become the CEO of Your Own Business

Ok, who doesn't want to be the big man on the totem pole? Whether you have a passion for baking, crafting, finances, animals, or anything in between--you can turn it into a business. Get your plan together, register as an LLC, and make it happen! Think about it, you get to make a little money off of your passion! What's better than that?

8. Go Silent for Three Days Straight

Technically, this is a type of meditation. Along with "being in silence," you get to battle your inner dialogs. This is way more intense than you might think! If you have a fight currently happening, a difficult situation you're encountering, or even struggling to stay quiet--it's only something you and your mind can combat right now. When you make it three days, give yourself a well-deserved pat on the bat because this is not an easy feat.

9. Record an Album of Your Original Songs

If you play an instrument--awesome. If not, sing your heart out a cappella or find some friends to be your band. Get some lyrics together and lay those babies down on your own personal album! You can either record in a studio or make use of your computer to make it happen, and you can look back with pride (or laughter) at the music you made yourself.

10. Face and Overcome a Major Phobia

Spiders, heights, sharks, small space…are all notoriously terrifying. But this is the time when you take control of your crippling fear of them! Every fear has a different way to conquer it. Maybe standing face-to-face with a snake at the zoo will help, or indoor skydiving. Dominate it to the point that you're literally laughing in the face of fear. Who knows, maybe bugs are just vastly misunderstood.

11. Drive Route 66…on a Motorcycle

We all know that many people have gotten their kicks on Route 66, but what's so great about it? Um…a lot actually. Did you know that this road drives directly through Chicago, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and ends in Santa Monica, California? That's a bunch of states to conquer in a short period of time! Ride it on a motorcycle to really get the full effect!

12. Become a Certified Sommelier

This is a big, fancy term for a wine expert with a respectable certificate. If you know that California is known for its Pinot Noir because of the fragile composition of the grape or that Champagne is exclusively bottled in France--this could be an awesome adventure for you. Become involved with the industry and get yourself certified so you can be official.

13. Get Bluesy on a Harmonica

You can't deny that Bob Dylan and The Doors look pretty freakin' cool when they get all blues-status on their harmonicas. If you'd practice a couple songs in secret then bust it out at a get together with your buddies out of thin air, jaws will drop. Learn a famous hit like Piano Man, You Don't Know How it Feels, Cryin', or Miss You and just wait for your gal pals to sing along!

14. Change the World…By Breaking a World Record

Maybe holding your breath is a little bit of a stretch, but making the world's largest rubber band ball might not be. Figure out some quirky activity to be the best at and knock it out of the park by breaking a world record! What a legacy to leave behind, right? Knit the world's largest sock, complete the most jumping jacks ever, or stack the largest Jenga tower. Go with whatever your heart desires!

15. Learn Morse Code

It looks a little intimidating, but it is very possible to make this language (for lack of better words) happen. Start with a translator, type in your message, and get the translated results just like you would with German or Japanese. Bonus points if you get a friend on board then converse together with it.

16. Get Colorful at Holi in India

Think about this, showing up to a foreign country just to throw various powdery colors at your family and friends for the sake of happiness. It's just too gosh-darn wonderful! India's Holi festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Typically celebrated in March, this festival results in a fun, colorful mess and smiles for days!

17. Brew Up Some Moonshine

If you have ever thought to yourself, "I could make a better bourbon than any bar offers," you could (and should) give it the ole college try! There are tons of places to find instructions to make the stuff too! You can also modify, distill many types, and add various ingredients to your recipe along the way! It can become a tradition you bust out when your buddies get together.

18. Enter an Eating Competition

One phrase: Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. Could you imagine stuffing your face next to world famous competitive eater Joey Chestnut? You'd basically be celebrity status. Sure, he'll easily eat over 60 hot dogs (!!!), but it'd be pretty sweet to go along for the ride alongside him! Get your food training on and go for the gold!

19. Leave a Truly Valuable Treasure By Geocatching

If you've never been Geocatching, it's about time you've tried it. But what is it? It's a literal treasure hunt that people you've never met set up for you. You can hunt down hidden keepsakes by following the uploaded clues to claim some buried treasure in your favorite hiking spots! Now pick something, like a necklace, and do the same for someone else!

20. Spend $1,000 on a Bottle of Bubbly

Yup, go straight Veuve Clicquot Gold Label Reserve here. Spare no expense! You should feel like Marie Antoinette on this day. If you really want to push it to the next level, get some caviar, Swiss chocolates, and crystal champagne flutes. Ooh la la!

21. Paint a Self-Portrait

Selfies don't count. Get some quality oil paints, an easel, and some patience then paint until you've captured the pure essence of…yourself. Even if you aren't the best artist, hanging your self-painted self-portrait is a super cool story explain to anyone that passes through your house. Channel your inner Van Gogh or Warhol!

22. Invent Something then Patent it

You know, like how Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. Sit and think of something that you think will help the world for the better--and create it. But here's the catch, you don't want anyone stealing your world-altering idea either--so get this puppy a patent! Maybe generations in the future will look at your idea awe-stricken.

23. Master All of Grandma’s Famous Recipes

As long as we're discussing bucket kicking, grandma will be doing so as well one day. This means you must carry out her life's work by inheriting her recipes. Take the time to really perfect all of your family's favorites and become the new "grandma" for lack of better words. Hey, grandma's need retirement too--let her take it easy for a while!

24. Start a Charity for Your Spirit Animal

We all need a little help from our friends, and what better friend to help than your spirit animal! What's a spirit animal? It's that special kind of animal that you feel like you are drawn to for some unknown cosmic reason. Whether you adore flamingoes, iguanas, or white tigers--start a charity for them! Make it as small or large scale as you want.

25. Go Christmas Caroling Dressed in 1800s Attire

Here you come a caroling among the leaves so green…in your ole tyme caroling attire! Bring it back to the days long before television, smartphones, and internet. Gather a crowd, or go alone if you'd like. You can even try to recruit people as you're searching for love and joy to come to you.

26. Read Every Holy Book from Cover to Cover

It's fascinating to acquire the knowledge from all of the holy books. So many people live so differently--it's amazing to open your mind to it. Compare notes on The Quran, The Bible, The Torah, Buddha's teachings, Confucianism texts, etc. Just try to walk away without expanding your world view after completing this list item!

27. Climb a Waterfall

Whether you go chasin' waterfalls in the U.S. or in international waters (studio audience laugh), you will certainly be proud of your achievement. Heck, you can even climb frozen waterfalls in Quebec for crying out loud! How cool (pun intended) is that? You can even make this a challenge to climb a waterfall on every continent.

28. Forgive Everyone on Your ‘Grudge List’ (Genuinely)

Anger is a prison you'll never get free from until you learn to forgive. Of course, it sounds easier than it actually is, but it's so worth it to not harbor any anger towards anyone while going through life. We have enough stress to begin with, right? There are actually more health benefits than you think in doing so too. Every one gives forgiveness in a different way. Let those arduous battles go.

29. Do 100 Pushups—Without a Break

Talk about becoming G.I. Jane for real! Completing 20 push-ups is hard enough for Pete's sake! If you can pound out 100 of these bad boys, you should be put in some kind of hall of fame or something. The achievement is something out of this world, though. The only reason you reached your goal is because of your true grit.

30. Fall of the Grid for a Couple Weeks

Turn off your cell phone, leave your computer at home, and go. Pick whatever country or multiple countries you want to visit and make yourself unreachable. Work isn't allowed on this trip, text messaging is prohibited, and internet is a HUGE no-no. Enjoy the sights you can't get at home and appreciate the world around you--for a couple weeks.

Diving Into Your Bucket List

When it comes to your bucket list, make sure to embellish it with all the bells and whistles it deserves. No run of the mill lists for you! Just make sure to really think about the crazy things that'll help you go out with a bang--then comprise a plan to follow through.